Growing Dedicated Execution Programs and Improving Retailers’ ROI

Over the last several years, in-store execution (the process of getting products placed on store shelves) has continued to evolve into a more efficient and effective process. This shift has been led by SAS Retail Services (SAS), Daymon’s retail execution side of the business. They’ve been steadily proving there’s a much better model for retailers and suppliers—and winning some big business for themselves in the process.

In January, Northeast grocery retailer Price Chopper signed on to move from an SAS-managed program to a dedicated program, which includes in-store execution, planogram writing/space planning, and new store and remodel work for Price Chopper’s 130+ stores in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire. This brings SAS’ total number of dedicated programs to a record high that represents more than 10-fold growth since 2013.

SAS began its partnership with Price Chopper three years ago, providing oversight to in-store execution work via its managed model. A team of SAS Area Supervisors and Team Leads oversaw the work of third-party merchandisers working in store. According to SAS Program Manager for Price Chopper, Kathi Caruso, her team set out to make it clear from the start that they shared a common goal with the retailer and supplier community. “Our goal is to deliver the best in customer service at Price Chopper so the public chooses to return time and time again. Our driving sales focused approach to merchandising, along with our superior team of experienced Leads and Merchandisers, has been our foundation to support this goal,” she explains.

To prepare for the new dedicated program’s launch in May, SAS will grow its Price Chopper team from approximately 30 associates to nearly 160. The new team will include SAS planogram writers, who will work on-site with Price Chopper’s existing space planning team, effectively doubling their capacity. This portion of the program in particular highlights a key shift the industry is currently undergoing, says Adam Weissman, SAS Retail Services Vice President – Northeast Region.

“By having SAS lead the planogram writing, the process is focused on driving sales for the retailer and suppliers, and doing what’s in the best interest of the category,” he explains. “SAS isn’t in the business of selling specific brands or products to retailers, so it doesn’t have a stake in the game. We work with our partners’ space planning and category management teams to find the best options for maximizing the most sales overall in the category, regardless of brands or affiliation.”

In total, Weissman says that “moving to SAS’ best-in-class dedicated model will be more efficient for the retailer in terms of both time and dollars, enabling them to reinvest in their business and do additional things to improve their return on investment [ROI].”

“The continued collaboration with our Global Business Development partners has brought another big win to the company,” says Michael Bellman, President of SAS Retail Services. “It’s further evidence of the power and benefit of leveraging all Daymon business units to provide solutions to our retailer and supplier partners.”